Antithumb-sucking device



Nov. 17, 1925- 1,561,631

G. H WINTER ANTI THUMB SUCKING DEVICE Filed 001:. 5, 1921 Patented Nov. 17, 1925.

UNITED PATENT on stones it. written, or bfirc ieo rnhrivors, Assienola ro w. Moons "riioivirson,

o'h CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Anrrrirtmin socirme DEVICE.

Application filed October 5, 1921. Serial No. 505,670.

To, (6Z7 whom it may concern. 1

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. VINTER; a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Antithumbfiucking Devices; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact desciiiption thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification:

This inventi'oh relates to an anti thulnbsuckirlg device and consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Parents and physicians are falniliar with the ugly and harmful habitacquir'ed by snl'all children of sucking the thumb brfin get and have realized the failure of the many expedients and means heretofore used to break the habit; The object of the present invention is to hr'ovide device whibh may be readily attached to the thumb or cage and which will discourage the habit of thumb-sucking, and this without in anyway interfering with the iiorinal useof the claims or finger; 1 j l 1 i The advantages stale ii-venues will appear asI proceed with my spcifihatibn;

In the drawings 1 is'a perspective View on an exaggei'ated scale of a device embodying my invhtion Fig. 2 a view representing an end e-l eva tioii of the sanie Fig. Sis a view repi'esentihg a side elevation at the device and k Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2,*sh0"wi-ng thed'evice adjusted to fit larger thumb or finger. i j a 1 Referring now to, that embodiment of the ini enti'on illustrated in the drawings The device consists preferably of two metal'rings which are adjustable in diameter and which are spaced apart biit are fieXibly coh'rr'ected together so that they may be, as a unit, slipped upon and then be adjusted to fit the thumb or finger snugly, with the two rings on opposite sides of the finger joint.

5, b ihd-icates the rings and 7 the flexible connections, which, as shown, are two connected chain links. Each ring carries a plurality of arcuately spaced, radially directed, blunt-pointed teeth 8 and in the device as illustrated, the chain-links 7 connecting the rings are attached in eyes: formed near the ends of said prongs, Each ring is a nar-1 row, flat band, bentinto circular form and having overlapping parts 9, 9 providedwith adjacent, radial, apertured flanges 1Q, 10. 11 indicates a split spring ring which by engagement in two opposed apertrlres in the two flanges 10 of a ring, locks theoverlapping parts of the band to form rings of clifferent diameters, thereby providing for the adjustment of the ring to the size of the thumb or finger. The rings 5, 6 are arranged preferably with the flanges 10 of the rings on the proximate sides of the ringsias shown in Figures 1 and 3. i

,To use the device, it is slipped upon the offending thumb or finger, with the ring 5 just beyond the first joint and the ring 6 0n the finger-endside ofithe joint. The split rings 11 are then removed, the rings 5 and 6 are adjusted to fit the finger or thumb closely-,the fit of the ring 5 being made close enough to prevent it from slipping over the joint'and the split rings are replaced to permanently connect the overlapping parts of the rings. This securely attaches the device to the tl1u1nb,'or finger so that it can not be removed by the child:

When the finger or thumb is now inserted into the mouth, the metal teeth and the chain links connecting them, come in contact with the roof ofthe mouth and with the tongue, producing discomfort, but not pain, and: absolutely prevent the child frombringing the finger itself into contact with these parts, which is necessary in order for it to have the fancied satisfaction clue to the sucking of the finger or thumb: The parts of the device, being made of metal, are un'- yielding and, can not be softened by the moisture of the mouth to assume the shape and feel of the thumb or finger, as in, the case of preventive devices heretofore used for the purpose.

The rings 5 a'nd6 with their flexible connections will manifestly interfere in no way with the normal use of the thumb or finger to which the device is applied, but will ab solutely discourage, and in a very short, time break, the habit. The device is made of parts constructed from a hard, unyielding material and by preference is made of silver or gold at a comparatively small price, or may be made of a cheaper meta-l, preferably of a metal which does not tarnish. It is sightly and may be easily kept clean, without removing it, so that there is no objection to its use from a sanitary point of view.

The device as thus far described will discourage the child from putting his thumb or finger in his mouth while conscious and awake, that is to say during the time when he will realize that it is impossible to get any satisfaction from inserting the thum or finger into his mouth with the device upon it. But as he falls asleep or when asleep, the thumb and finger go into the moutlrfrom habit alone and no tanciedsatisfaction is necessary in order for him to allow the finger or thumb to remain in the mouth. It is therefore preferred to provide the device with an additional or supplemental element which will act to prevent the thumb or finger from entering the mouth after the child has gone to sleep.

To this end I provide a member 12, preferably in the form of a large, light, metal ring, something like a key-ring, which may be attached to the device, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1 and in full lines in the other figures. Said ring 12 may be readily attached to one of the links of the flexible connections or chains 7 and should be applied as shown, so that when it is attempted to place the thumb, for example, into the mouth, the ring or like element, will be presented against the upper lip, above the mouth, and will thus act as an obstruction tothe insertion of the thumb into the mouth.

While in describing a preferred embodiment of the invention, I have referred to several details of mechanical construction, it is to be understood that the invention is in no way limited thereto, except as may be pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention V 1. A device of the kind described, com prising a plurality of annular split bands having overlapping ends, means for locking the ends of the band together in the desired adjusted position, each band having marginal parts with holes through them, and

links extending through said holes and flexibly connecting the hands together.

2. A device of the kind described, comprising a plurality of annular split bands having overlapping ends, means for locking the ends of the band together in the desired adjusted position,each band having radially extending apertured projections, and flexible members extending through the apertures in the projections and connecting said bands together. 7

3. A device of the kind described, comprising two, similar split bands, each band having a radial flange at its ends with holes therethrough, and radial, apertured prongs spaced from said ends, a split locking ring adapted to be passed through registering holes of the flanges of each band, and links flexibly connect-ing the radial prongs of one band with the like prongs of the other band.

4. An anti-thumb-sucking device, consistingof a structure made of unyielding material. adapted to extend over the major part of the first joint of the thumb to protect said joint from contact with the interior of the mouth, said structure including an adjustable band for attaching it to the thumb back of said joint, and a comparatively large ele ment of unyielding material capable of flexible attachment to said device and adapted to block insertion into the mouth.

5. An anti-thumb-sucking device, consisting of a structure made of unyielding material adapted to extend over the major part of the first joint of the thumb to protect said joint from contact with the interior of the mouth, said structure including an adjustable band for attaching it to the thumb back of said joint, and a comparatively large ring of unyielding material capable of detachable flexible connection to said device and adapted to block insertion into the mouth.

6. In an anti-thumb sucking device, an annular split band adapted to encircle the thumb, radial flanges 011 each end of the band, said flanges each having holes in them adapted to be brought into registry, means adapted to be inserted through the registering holes to fit the band to the thumb and radial projections on said band adapted to engage the roof of the mouth and the tongue, substantially as described.

7. In a device of the kind described, comprising a plurality of annular split bands having overlapping ends, means for locking the ends of the band together in the desired adjusted position, and flexible non-jointed members connecting said bands together at points spaced from said overlapping ends.

8. A device of the kind described, comprising a plurality of annular split. bands having overlapping ends, means for locking the ends of the band together in the desired adjusted position, radial mouth engaging projections on said bands, and flexible means connecting the radial projections on one band with the'like projections on the other.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I aflix my signature this 1st day of October, A; D. 1921.

GEORGE WINTER. 

